TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – Feb. 24, 2015) – UN Women National Committee Canada (UNWNCC) is working with the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, through the TO2015 IGNITE program, to raise awareness about important women’s issues and the UN Women’s HeForShe campaign.

“This program will help us to bring even more visibility to the HeForShe movement,” said UNWNCC President Almas Jiwani. “Everyone from global athletes to students, visitors to spectators will be able to lend their voice to the campaign and help to promote awareness about gender equity and the empowerment of girls and women in Canada and globally.”

Over the next few months the HeForShe campaign intends to mobilize one billion men and boys as advocates and agents of change in ending the persisting inequalities faced by women and girls globally. The premise is that inequality is a human rights issue, the resolution of which will benefit everyone – socially, politically and economically.

“It’s great to see the IGNITE program in action, supporting campaigns like HeForShe that strive to ensure women and girls are equal participants in sport,” said TO2015 Senior Vice-President Amir Remtulla.

“It is my belief that there is a greater understanding than ever that women need to be equal participants in our homes, in our societies, in our governments, and in our workplaces. And they know that the world is being held back in every way because they are not. Women share this planet fifty-fifty and they are underrepresented, their potential astonishingly untapped.” – Emma Watson, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador

To mark this campaign, the UNWNCC is hosting a panel and cocktail reception at the City Hall Rotunda on June 18th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. To reserve a seat, contact info@unwomencanada.org.

Quick Facts

• The HeForShe campaign is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all
• The TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games will take place from July 10 to 26 and the Parapan American Games August 7 to 15
• The TO2015 IGNITE program enables individuals, organizations and communities to create their own special Games-themed initiative and increases awareness of existing projects

About UN Women National Committee Canada

The UN Women National Committee Canada (formerly UNIFEM Canada) was founded in 1993 with the goal of promoting equality for all women. The National Committee Canada is an independent non-governmental organization (NGO) that supports the mission of UN Women through public awareness initiatives about UN Women and global women’s issues, as well as fundraising efforts to support UN Women programmes worldwide. The National Committee Canada is one of 15 National Committees worldwide. The National Committee raises the profile of UN Women and promotes its work in Canada.

Donate now! Your generosity today will provide a better tomorrow for girls and women worldwide.

http://www.unwomencanada.org/index.html

Social Media: Follow the work of the UN Women National Committee Canada on Twitter @UNWomenCanada, and the search the hashtag #HeForShe and #beijing20 for updates on our ongoing campaigns.

About UN Women’s HeForShe and IMPACT 10X10X10 Campaigns:

HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality. Gender equality was at one time a struggle for women by women but now is the time for this to change. A movement is building around the world that sees men taking a stronger stand on equality. Canada currently has over 13,000 men who have committed to furthering gender equality within our country.

IMPACT 10X10X10 aims to add corporations, governments, universities and grassroots organizations into the growing movement of equality. Gender equality benefits everyone. IMPACT 10X10X10 builds on HeForShe as a movement that seeks gender equality advocates in every sphere of influence.